A King's Protection
by allseer15
Summary: After Meliodas' death, the kingdom of Leonis wasn't the only place to come under attack by the growing demon threat. And this time King is determined to be there and protect his home.


_For the anime-watchers, this fic contains manga spoilers up to Chapter 216. You've been warned._

 _This takes place immediately after the anime ends. I started writing this because I'm an avid King fan and noticed a disturbing lack of King fics, plus I'm a sucker for Hurt/Comfort fics. This fic is a slight AU because in canon the Fairy King's Forest never really came under attack and was safe and hidden, but I took that away for the sake of this fic. And for however much I love King, I apparently also love seeing him hurt and cared for. Oops._

 _I hope you enjoy!_

"Harlequin?"

Gerheade turned her head from where she was examining the horizon of the Fairy King's Forest. There was an audible grunt and the sound of leaves shifting that had her lifting an eyebrow. Just who would be climbing the Sacred Tree?

"H-Harlequin?" A large gauntlet covered hand appeared and grasp at the upper cradle of the Sacred Tree, letting Gerheade know just who was arriving before the giant finished pulling herself up. Purple eyes widened as she caught sight of Gerheade, momentarily halting her climb. "Oh. Um. Hi, there." The giant smiled and tilted her head. "Sorry, I didn't see you."

Gerheade hummed and considered the giant. This was one of the two giants the fairy king had allowed into the forest recently. Diane, a member of the Seven Deadly Sins like her king. Hardly an intruder, but Gerheade couldn't help but wonder just who she thought she was to have the right to climb the Sacred Tree and to be so familiar with the fairy king, comrade or not.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked coolly.

"Um. Yes! There might be. I hope, anyway," Diane muttered as she finished pulling herself into the sheltered space among the great boughs. "I'm looking for Harlequin. Do you know where he is?"

Gerheade's eyes narrowed. " _Lord_ _King_ ," she started, stressing the title, though judging by that confused blink the girl didn't catch the correction, "is busy at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Busy?" the Serpent Sin repeated. "Busy doing what?"

"The fairy king has many duties, many of which are now vital and delicate in this time of war." Gerheade silently seethed. Was this child truly so confused that the leader of the fairy clan was _busy_?

Diane seemed to sober. She nodded. "Yeah, I just wanted to check on him about that. I know a lot of demons have been trying to attack recently. More than me and Matrona have been helping with." Gerheade would give her that point. The pair of giants had been indispensable since their arrival. Their size and strength greater than anything a fairy could muster and saving many lives just by being present to fight. The red and gray demons were dangerously strong foes that would've led to more funerals than there already have been if not for the pair of lady giants. "And I know Harlequin has been protecting the whole entire forest. So…So I just wanted to make sure he was okay. Getting enough rest and eating, you know?"

Diane peeked over to the fairy, her bangs mostly shielding the glance, and though Gerheade had recognized the move from many a young fairy she couldn't stay cold and stoic in face of this line of questions. She'd been hasty in her earlier thoughts. It was Diane's place as Lord King's comrade to ensure his safety and wellness.

"The fairy king is doing well," Gerheade replied, softening her tone and relaxing some of the tension in her shoulders and wings. Her lips even twitched into a small smile. "No doubt he would be flattered by your concern and thought."

The giant straightened and beamed. "I'm glad! Can I see him? I haven't talked to him in so long."

"Sadly, now is not the best time."

"What?" Diane groaned and sank to sit on her heels. "Why not?"

Gerheade only gave the idea of answering a brief thought before dismissing it. "He is doing delicate work that takes his full concentration. If you'd like, I can tell him you came looking for him."

She watched as the giant pursed her lips before huffing and shaking her head, causing her twin tails to wave merrily. "I'll wait out here for him," she declared, turning so her back was to the inside of the Sacred Tree and setting her legs just over the lip of the space. Gerheade quirked an eyebrow, but was satisfied to let the girl stay so long as she was quiet. She herself was returning to her vigil when the other spoke up again. "Could you…" The advisor turned to look at Diane when she trailed off. The Serpent Sin glanced over her shoulder once before looking back over the forest. "Could you see if maybe he wants to take a break?" she asked quietly, an aching tone in her voice that Gerheade was familiar with. Despite the radical size difference, the fairy could almost hear Elaine speaking with the same loneliness.

Gerheade sighed. It was always the young ones that got to her. "I shall check. Please keep a watch while I'm gone."

The flash of a smile almost made her wish that her king would be willing to take a break. "Right! You can count on me."

Nodding, the fairy turned and moved deeper into the upper cradle of the Sacred Tree, weaving through the vertical boughs until she came upon her king. He was how he was a few hours ago upon requesting she watch over him, laying on a thick bed of moss with shoots of the Sacred Tree's pink pedals and small sunflowers waving happily around his still form. Chastiefol floated around aimlessly in the smaller and plentiful form of Increase, though none of its components roamed far from its wielder. Gerheade watched her king's chest rise and fall gently, his expression smooth and relaxed. If it were not for the sheer amount of magical power radiating off of him, she would think he was asleep, resting. Instead, she looked and found the dark circles under his eyes, his pale skin, and the slight furrow between his eyebrows and recognized them for the strain they signified.

For all that the fairy king was appearing to be at rest he was actually spreading his consciousness throughout all of the Fairy King's Forest, keeping watch for any of the demons that had been attacking recently. Like this, there wasn't a single insect, blade of grass, creature, or being that escaped his notice. As was his right as fairy king, he had dominion over everything inside the boundaries of the Fairy King's Forest as well as beyond, though to a lesser degree. Disaster, the ability possessed by all chosen fairy kings. At the moment, however, it was being used to watch for and prevent demonic disaster.

Gerheade sighed and turned, leaving the fairy king to his watch and to return to hers. Hopefully the giant would grow bored and leave soon, though something told her otherwise.

King grimaced but held still as the poultice was smoothed over the cuts on his back.

Ende made a soft sound, her hand stilling. "Sorry," she whispered and King turned, giving the other fairy a smile before he really processed her words.

"It's okay. I'm fine."

He got a wane trembling smile in return, but she resumed tending to his injuries all the same. "Those demons actually got a good hit in," she murmured, dabbing more of the blend of herbs and Sacred Tree pollen over the fresh cuts.

King hummed in agreement, drawing up one knee and calling Chastiefol to his arms. With the pillow in hand he laid his head down and closed his eyes, coming down from the high of fighting. "They're learning. I don't usually watch my back. It was a mistake." He shivered as the poultice started having an effect on his injuries, cooling the skin surrounding the cuts and numbing the pain a bit.

It had been a stupid mistake. It wasn't often anyone could get the jump on him. With his levitation and long-range attacks, he was pretty removed from actual close combat. But the demons were changing. They were learning and testing the Fairy King's Forest's defenses. They were testing him. And this time King had failed. So occupied with the clump of red demons that had been encroaching on his territory, using Chastiefol to drive them back and defend the surrounding forest, that he hadn't noticed the gray demon coming up behind him until he'd felt the burning pain of claws scoring his back. It was a relatively light hit given his speed and maneuverability in the air, but it hurt nonetheless.

King opened his eyes and stared blindly at the green patterns on Chastiefol. He should've been more aware. More alert. Stronger, faster, anything more. It wasn't just his own life on the line anymore, not even Diane's life though she was here as well. It was his home at risk now and everyone there. Everyone was depending on him. He'd let everyone down before and he wouldn't again. So the fact that a low ranking demon had managed to hit him not only physically hurt but stabbed at his sense of duty and responsibility. The Ten Commandments were out there in Britannia right now. Stronger than these low-ranking demons by leagues and with Captain gone…

King closed his eyes again and buried his face in Chastiefol, squeezing his treasure tighter. Not even their best could beat the Ten Commandments. An actual demon and former commander of the Commandments had been unable to stand in face of them. Instead, he'd been laid low and had his hearts destroyed one by one.

If not even Captain had been able to stand up to them, what hope did the rest of them have?

"Your Majesty?"

King blinked and lifted his head to see Ende at his side, holding up a roll of bandages. "May I?" the other asked.

"Oh. Right, of course." Uncurling from his momentary recline, King lifted his arms and helped hold the first coil of bandages Ende looped around his chest.

Brown eyes flicked up to him for a moment and he tilted his head curiously. Her wings shifted and rubbed against each other in a sign of discomfort. "You just…seemed to have a lot on your mind."

"Well, yeah," King agreed easily. He looked beyond the woman for a moment to cast his awareness briefly into the forest, checking for any taint of demonic energy. It wasn't as easy to do as when he was in the Sacred Tree, but still doable. After his most recent battle, he wouldn't put it past the demon clan to immediately send more demons to attack. "These demons aren't just going to leave us alone."

Ende nodded slowly as she carefully tightened the bandages, making sure they covered the treated slashes. "What are we going to do?"

King pursed his lips before sighing and dropping his arms when she sat back, her work complete. "Thank you. As for what we'll do…" Chastiefol came back to his arms almost without him calling it and he held his treasure closely. "I have a few plans, but we'll see if I'm forced to use them or not." He didn't want to even consider it, but he was fairy king. Above all, even above Britannia and the other Sins, he must protect the fairy realm.

"Forced?" Ende frowned at him. "You're fairy king. What could _force_ you to do anything?"

King looked away, hugging Chastiefol tighter. "Your faith in me…it means a lot," he murmured before levitating off the ground and going over to where his coat had been abandoned. He peered down at the bloody rends in his clothing, the red staining and marring the normally peaceful aqua and gold colors. The smooth leather he'd once stitched by hand was ruined. "But against the demon hoards and might of the Ten Commandments, there's not much a failure like me can do," he whispered as he carefully pulled the jacket over his arms and zipped it up.

Ende floated up off the forest floor. "Huh? What was that?"

King smiled reflexively and exerted his will over his body. There was a small poof of steam before the illusion of his coat whole and clean appeared. "I'll do my best to protect my realm," he assured Ende. "I won't let our home be destroyed again."

King chuckled as he watched the human children play with his fairies. Their laughter and happy cries filled the air and made it almost seem lighter and cleaner. He sighed and relaxed further onto Chastiefol. This was how he remembered the fairy realm being. Bright and pure and free. Sun shining through the leaves of benevolent watchful trees, the rivers and brooks giggling and gossiping with the wildlife, the flowers and plants just as diverse and eager as the colorful fairy borne from their buds. It was a magical place.

"Harlequin?"

King breathed deep and opened eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed. Sleep tugged at his mind and body, Chastiefol holding him gently in its cooling embrace. He hummed questioningly and peered in the direction of the voice. The sight of Diane smiling gently at him drew a blush to his cheeks, his heart racing in happiness. She was here and happy with him. "Tired?" she asked quietly, lifting a hand to come under where Chastiefol floated in the air. It took no effort or thought to levitate, but it still felt like a relief to lower himself completely into her grasp. Diane giggled, drawing the much smaller being closer so she could hold him more securely. "I don't know how you could sleep with all this noise going on."

King smiled and looked back at the source of said noise. "It's like a lullaby," he admitted, turning to lay on his side rather than his front. "Everyone is happy and safe." His eyes moved from the playing fairies and children to the other giant, Matrona, speaking with Gerheade. Even the warrior giant, mother to children and former leader of the giant clan, was relaxed and at ease in her discussion with his advisor. "It means I've done my job," he explained further. A yawn took him by surprise and he ducked his head to hide it in Chastiefol, which shook gently with Diane's laughter.

"Well, if anyone deserves a nap, it's you. You know, for being the Sin of Sloth you aren't very slothful," Diane teased and King smirked.

"You obviously haven't seen me sleep an entire day away," he joked, though it was a lie. She actually had seen him do such a thing, but he knew she had absolutely no memory of him. The thought drew melancholy to the surface. Diane didn't know him, couldn't remember even the simplest, shortest moments between them. She couldn't recall the time they played tag just the same as the children and fairies below. Not even if he tried to restore the memories of her childhood would she know him.

Ignorant of his turn of mood, Diane laughed again. "That really is sloth-like!"

"Y-Yeah." King smothered another yawn and curled up tighter on Chastiefol, his treasure reacting to his mood and magic by squeezing a bit more firmly around him. "I think I'll do just that, if you don't mind." It had been a long while since he'd truly rested.

"No, not at all," Diane assured the fairy, settling herself more comfortably on the ground so she could continue to hold the fairy king without moving and disturb his rest. She peered down at the impossibly small but powerful being laying on the innocent pillow she cradled just above her chest. "Get some sleep, Harlequin."

King exhaled softly, more than happy to give into his body's demands at the moment, when he heard the far-off rustling of many trees. A rustling that grew louder and louder along with the harried whispers the trees carried.

 _Fairy king, fairy king!_

 _Danger enemies_

 _Many hurry approaching_

 _Death blood deathkill_

 _Helpplease help us_

King sat upright with a gasp, staring with wide unseeing eyes at the clamoring trees. "How many? Where?" he demanded, levitating from his place of rest and absently gesturing Chastiefol to his side.

 _There here over through_

 _Manymanymany_

 _largebigCOMINGNOW_

Honey eyes narrowed as he took in the many scared voices, both in his head and in his ears. It took only a moment to understand what was coming. His breath caught.

"Gerheade, draw all the fairies back to the Sacred Tree!" King ordered, refocusing back on the real world. "Matrona, Diane, I'll need your help."

The blonde giant rose to her feet, grim tension creasing her face. "Another attack?"

King nodded, looking in the direction of the demons just starting to cross into his territory. "An army."

Diane gasped, jolting to her feet as Gerheade started herding the others deeper into the Fairy King's Forest. "An _army_ is coming here? How are we going to even fight that?"

"With everything we have," Matrona answered simply, but even she was daunted by the task. She looked over to where the fairy king was pulling his hood and helmet over his head. "What are the numbers we're facing?"

King frowned, looking to where Helbram was listening intently to the forest around them. "A couple dozen, at least." He turned and led the way through the thick thriving forest in the direction of the slither mass of ichor and rot encroaching into his forest. Behind him he heard the loud steps of the pair of giants following him. "We'll put an end to them."

"Spirit Spear Chastiefol, Second Form Guardian!"

The bear caught the swinging hand and Diane glanced at the stalled demon before grabbing the one she was currently grappling with and heaving it over her shoulder to slam into it.

"Fifth Form, Increase." A wave of his hand and hundreds of blades cut into the pair of demons, slicing and cutting viciously in an attempt to get all their hearts. With his other hand, King turned his focused to the stream of water the river had offered up, slashing his hand and commanding the water whip to move and knock back a gray demon.

"Behind you!" Rather than rely on Chastiefol to return in time, King slipped to the side and up, tsking as he felt the rush of air from the demon passing under him. It growled menacingly as it glared up at him, only to have its head crushed under Diane's Gideon.

"Thanks!" he called to Matrona for the warning. Diane charged at another red demon with a war cry as King changed Chastiefol into a spear once more, sending it spinning and whirling to cut a gray demon's head off, stuttering and stalling its black snow attack long enough for the blade of water he wielded to whip it to death in a handful of seconds.

Stun, distract, rip, and rend. A simple pattern, but hard to pull off on more than one demon. Red and gray demons weren't altogether hard to kill and destroy unless they came in numbers like now.

Jagged spires of stone and rock erupted in a singular path, skewering any demon caught in it. Diane waited at the end of it, Gideon held at the ready. "Rock Rush!" she cried as she smashed the attack from her fellow giant, turning the linear attack into a widespread spray of devastation. King cringed as he heard the trees and plants cry out as a result of also being hit, but pushed it aside in favor of reaching both hands forward, digging his magic into the forest floor. The roots he called upon shattered the surface, lashing out viciously at any dark energy, tangling around the demons and restricting them.

"Take your pick!" King encouraged, pleased he'd restrained so many so quickly, when the sound of creaking wood caught his attention. He spun and gasped at the sight of an unfamiliar demon, larger than the red or gray ones and a different color as well. It shrugged off the roots like nothing as it brought its fist down upon him. "Crap!"

The strength it hit him with was tremendous, slamming him into the ground and creating a crater of ridiculous size. He cried out as he felt the demon press, crushing him.

"Harlequin!"

King shouted wordlessly before the ground swallowed him up, dragging him down and away from the demon's paw. He emerged a small distance away, spitting dirt from his mouth and sending quiet thanks to the forest as he lifted off the ground. He looked just in time to see Matrona drill a punch into the large copper demon's jaw and send it skidding away. Most of the demons had been slain, but there was a new wave of these copper demons appearing.

"Harlequin, are you okay?" Diane asked as she came to his side.

King spared her a glance, but nodded, clutching the shoulder that throbbed and ached in agony. Broken. "Yes, I'm fine. Have you ever seen demons like this before?"

Diane shook her head as they took in the dozen copper demons lumbering through the war-torn portion of the forest. It hurt King on a spiritual level to see any part of his home destroyed down to the bedrock and the ones who caused the damage just kept coming.

"They're strong," Matrona hissed, shaking out her fist. "My punch hardly fazed that one."

"We'll bring them down," Diane swore, spinning Gideon quickly and King followed her lead. Chastiefol floating just above his head, its point gleaming in the sun light.

"Spirit Spear Chastiefol, Fourth Form, Sunflower," King commanded, leaving his shoulder be in favor of reaching out his hand. He had to keep fighting. No matter what, he couldn't stop!

They dove back into the fray with furious cries, refusing to back down.

Blood sprayed, earth flew, nature rebelled. The very ground trembled and the heavens held its breath. One attack after another: Bumblebee, Increase, Guardian, Increase, Combined Technique Cross Shooting, Sunflower.

"Diane!" King's head whipped around at the sharp cry and saw briefly his dear friend flying through the air from a copper demon's uppercut to her ribs. She crashed into the ground and writhed, coughing as she clutched her ribs.

In his distraction, he missed the fist flying at him until it hit him. Black spots swirled around his vision as broken trees collapsed over him, pinning him down under their mass. King shouted in pain even as his eyes tracked back to Diane, who was struggling to get up. Blood flew from her lips, her arms shaking. That hit had critically hurt her. Dread stole through King's heart even as Matrona came to stand guard over her.

"E-Eighth Form, Pollen Garden!" King spat, flinging his hand towards Diane. The sphere of pollen and magic erected around Diane, offering her protection and healing. Wide purple eyes found him.

"Harlequin, what are you doing?!"

What was he doing? What was he _doing_? He stared up at the looming copper demon as it seemed to leer down at him. Protect Diane, save the forest, keep everyone safe. Nowhere in his knee jerk reflexes was there self-defense. Even as the copper demon raised its meaty fist high above its head and his hand twitched as if to physically call back Chastiefol his magic made no move. If anything, it tightened down even further on Pollen Garden. He could only squeeze his eyes shut as the demon struck down on him, shattering wood and his body.

King groaned softly before choking when something started crushing him from all sides.

"Harelquin, no!"

He screamed as the demon's fist hefted him up, tightening cruelly around his small body. The sickening sound and feel of his bones snapping and cracking had him sobbing as he tried to move, to escape. The copper demon cackled, drawing King's wet glare. Desperate and half out of his mind in pain, he reached out for anything. _Anything_ to stop the pain!

Chastiefol came even without being invoked. The massive spear cutting the demon in half. King tried and failed to catch himself from the limp demon's hand, the sudden movement and fall making his head spin until the jolt upon hitting the ground gave him his sense of up and down once more. He panted as he stared up at his sacred treasure with a toothy smile. "True Spirit Spear Chastiefol, First Form," he rasped, feeling the magic from the Sacred Tree flooding his body with the release of his treasure. It seared through his limbs, both helping and hindering at the same time. His bones snapped back into place with enough force to make King cry out, but the looming threat of demons forced him to stay focused. "F-Fifth Form, In-ncrease!" he cried as his hip lit up in agony.

"Your Majesty!"

King grunted as he found enough of a mental grip to lift himself up from the ground, blindly waving a hand to launch Chastiefol at the copper demons. The pain hurt, but it helped clear his head. King breathed deep and saw Matrona standing with Diane, though the younger giant had an arm over the blonde's shoulder. King cursed himself for not being able to finish healing his friend. "Head back to the Sacred Tree," he commanded, his voice rough but clear enough to hear. The weight of the Sacred Tree's magic was starting to crush him. "I'll finish up here. Get Diane to safety." Just to demonstrate, King jabbed two fingers at one particular copper demon and it was shredded to nothing within an instant. "Go," he repeated, staring the giant woman down.

She still hesitated, but nodded after a moment. "I'll return."

"W-Wait, we can't leave him," Diane protested. "We ha—" A ragged bloody cough cut off her own words, making King's heart clench.

"We're going," Matrona declared, turning and half-dragging Diane away.

Good.

King breathed in deeply and evenly, licking the blood from his lips when it started to pour thick from his nose. His head throbbed from the sheer weight of containing and funneling the Sacred Tree's magic, his body too small and fragile to act as a vessel for such ancient magic energy. He couldn't do this for long.

"First Form, Chastiefol," he ordered and the many daggers returned to reform the colossal spear. Seven, eight, nine, he counted. Nine copper demons. The slow and lumbering idiots on par with Diane's strength and durability. "You're not welcome here," he declared, swiping his fingers through the air and slicing them down, sealing the fate of them all.

Chastiefol spun with a ringing chime and swept forward, cutting into all the copper demons with only a few spins, but returning again to ensure they stayed down.

King panted as his treasure finally halted, the last of the demon carcasses falling to the ground. There was silence for an instant before sharp pain erupted in King's head. He gasped and clutched his head, sealing Chastiefol abruptly and cutting off the flow of the Sacred Tree's magic. His knees hit the ground and he bent over to press his throbbing head to the overturned dirt, panting as the pain stabbed again and again. It hadn't gotten any easier to wield Chastiefol's released form and it left him feeling like a hollowed-out shell, as if anything and everything he'd once had inside had been scraped out with a red-hot poker. It _hurt_.

King whined quietly, the only sound in the dead silence of the ruined forest around him.

But he'd done it, he'd protected his home, his Diane.

A weary smile tugged at his lips only to still when he felt the ground tremble. This wasn't footsteps. This wasn't an earthquake. King stumbled to his feet, still holding his head as he looked around for the source of the shaking. Was something coming?

It was only a split second before everything exploded that he realized where it was coming from.

The ground erupted like something out of a nightmare, throwing King into the air just as he caught a glimpse of the white stone being. Starred black and red eyes bore into him as just the head emerged from the ground.

King gaped as an albion climbed out of the earth itself before seeing the ball of red energy gathering at its mouth.

"S-Second Form! Guar—"

Burning, splitting, _crushing_ oblivion.

It was the jolting shake of the ground that teased at his consciousness. His body…Oh, Supreme Diety help him…

King choked on a cry at the stinging torment his body was in. Too hot, too sharp, too weak. Even without moving his head, King could see the blood splattered down his arm, his skin charred black in some places, and…and white bone…King squeezed his eyes shut, the sight revolting him. That couldn't be his body. It _couldn't_.

The ground jolted again and fear stole through King, forcing his eyes open as he looked away from his body and up to the albion. This one was quadrupedal, crouched grotesquely as it peered down at him. King gasped for air as he tried to move his arm only to flinch and bite his tongue at the pain in that limb alone. "Crap," he breathed, blinking the black spots from his eyes. He couldn't move. He had nothing left to give… Tears beaded his eyes as the colossal monster tilted its head. "Crap." This was how he died, wasn't it? At the hands of a monster demon.

Except…Except the albion was turning away. Turning towards the Sacred Tree. Towards the fairies and Diane…

"No. No." King shifted and dug deep for any magic he had left. He wouldn't let this thing go. He couldn't! "Stop!" He ground his teeth as he heaved himself to turn over from his back to his side, gasping and struggling to breathe as he forced his arms under him and to lift. "Stop right there!" He had no more magic. No more energy. He had nothing left to give.

Nothing left but his life.

" _Sacred treasure release_ ," King snarled, fury and desperation giving him the will to make one last stand. A pile of fallen trees nearby exploded as Chastiefol's true spear form manifested, gleaming and glittering with the Sacred Tree's magic. The same magic that tore into his weakened body. Blood flooded his mouth and he spat it out before it could choke him, grinning when the albion paused its trek to turn back to him. No doubt it sensed his magical energy once more. "That's right, you bastard," he spat. "Come and get me. Come and get me and _leave them alone!_ " His choked on yet more blood, the world dipping and spinning to his senses, but he begged his body to stay strong for just a moment more. Just a little longer. His knees gave out and he fell again, but he managed to keep himself sitting upright. Shakily, he raised one arm, using the other to help raise it when his strength started to fade. "L-Leave them alone," he ordered, glaring through his spotted vision to properly aim, "and die."

Chastiefol flew straight and true, striking the demon and erupting in a bloody cross of magic. King blinked and in the next moment found himself horizontal, staring out at the broken forest. When had he laid down?

A cough slipped up his throat, making him tremble as the movement agitated every ache and pain he had. This…this wasn't good. He was hurt in a bad way. He should…He should get…some sleep.

King breathed softly as he let his body relax. The freshly turned soil was soft and cool against his hurting body, holding him gently and securely.

He was so tired. So weary of all this fighting. He could rest, couldn't he?

"Don't worry, Diane," he mumbled as he floated down gently. The sound of his voice rose and fell oddly. "It's just…just s…sloth. I'll be…right ba…"

Ban looked around the forest warily. From his spot near the end of Hawk's Mom's snout, he kept a careful eye out for anything that wasn't plant life.

"Hey, Ban." The immortal grunted but didn't look away as his captain joined him. "You look tense."

Ban harrumphed. "There's no one here. Normally the little fairy bastards would be around."

"Maybe we scared them off."

Ban couldn't help but scoff. "Nah. They're pretty defensive of this place. They don't let anyone in who doesn't have permission." His lips curled into a smirk. "With the exception of me, of course."

"It is rather odd." The pair turned and watched as Merlin and Escanor emerged from the tavern. It was just after dawn, leaving their surroundings slightly shadowed and chilled. Merlin, who spoke in the first place, propped a hand on her waist. "We passed the boundaries of the Fairy King's Forest not too long ago and yet I don't sense King or Diane."

"What? Did the whole fairy realm just up and leave?" Ban demanded, glaring around the quiet land.

"While King no doubt does have that ability, I suspect it's something else entirely."

"Like what?" Meliodas asked, folding his hands behind his head.

Merlin shook her head. "King has ultimate dominion over this entire forest. To guess at what he could've done would be useless."

Escanor tilted his head. "One thing is for certain, though," he said, "the forest has come under attack recently. I can feel the demon energy still in the air." Merlin nodded in agreement even as Meliodas and Ban shared a baffled look.

"Ban?" The immortal in question blinked in surprise before turning to face the voice. "Ban, is that you?" A tiny form peeked out from behind the trees.

"Tiny guy?" Ban blurted upon seeing the fairy and grunted when he suddenly had a fairy clinging to his face.

"It is you, Ban! Oh, thank goodness you're here!" the fairy wailed.

Ban stumbled back, trying to pry the being off of his face. "Get off!" he shouted, his words muffled. He finally got a secure hold on the fairy's shirt that wouldn't hurt his wings and pried the little being off of him. "What's the big idea, huh?" he growled and the fairy flinched at the harsh tone.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Ban?" Merlin drawled, earning a red glare that had Escanor shifting testily.

"Oh, um. Where are my manners?" the fairy mumbled before straightening in Ban's grasp. "I'm Puora, a fairy from the Fairy King's Forest." He seemed to still before tears slipped from his eyes. "T-The fairy king! Ban, you have to come with me quickly!"

All attention sharpened onto the fairy, who was small even by fairy standards. "What's King gotten into now?" Ban asked, debating whether to ignore or humor the fairy pulling on his sleeve. "We came looking for the old fart and Diane. They're around?"

Puora nodded and bit his lip. "Y-Yes, but…Please, there isn't much time. Fairy King Harlequin is hurt very badly."

Ban tsked before raising his voice, "Hey, Hawk's Mom! We're in a rush to the giant freaking pink tree over there!" The hog rumbled and obligingly picked up her pace.

"What happened?" Meliodas questioned the tiny fairy that had switched from trying to pull Ban to clinging once more. Ban deadpanned, resigned to his fate for the moment.

Puora wiped at his eyes. "Demons have been attacking for weeks now. His Majesty has been fighting them off with the help of the giants, but this one was really, really bad! Yesterday, the fairy king said there was an _army_ coming. One of the giants came back hurt and His Majesty…" More tears fell from those blue eyes. "H-He was hurt so b-bad!"

"Who was hurt?" Elizabeth jogged down the stairs of the tavern, Hawk at her side and Gowther following sedately behind her. "Why are we suddenly in a rush? Is everything okay?"

Meliodas hummed. "Nope, doesn't seem like it," he answered casually, earning a dark look from the tiny fairy. "Apparently King and Diane got in a bad fight. We're going to them now."

Elizabeth folded her hands together and squeezed them tightly. "I'll do what I can to help."

Ban heard all of this vaguely. His focus was instead on the looming Sacred Tree. Though his gaze didn't waver, he caught the worrying flash of color. He did a double take and sucked in a sharp breath upon seeing more of it. "What is this? Why is the forest dying?"

The little fairy sniffled and tightened his grip on Ban's arm. "As long as the fairy king lives, the Fairy King's Forest can always heal and recover no matter what. But…But if he were to die before the next one is chosen…"

"Is King dying?" Elizabeth gasped, looking around and seeing the dying trees and brown patches of forest, so at odds with the other thriving vibrant colors. It was like rot: grotesque and horrifying to look at.

"We're trying to heal him! We're trying to save him!"

Ban bit his tongue and he rested his free hand on the fairy's head. "Don't worry, tiny guy. We'll help save his royal clumsiness."

Puora eventually detached himself from Ban, flying ahead with loud cries to tell everyone that Ban was here now. The ripple of excited and hopeful cries made Ban's stomach sink. The forest itself was an indicator of just how bad off King was, but seeing the sheer hope and relief on their faces drove that fact home.

"Diane! Matrona!" Elizabeth called, spotting the pair of giants sitting among the roots of the Sacred Tree.

A quick glance told Ban that they were both okay if a little worse for wear. But they were awake and talking, which was good in his books. He narrowed his eyes on the handful of fairies that approached him, Puora in the lead. "Show me where he is."

It surprised him faintly when they lead him up into the tree rather than down into the inner chamber where Elaine used to rest. He even beat his guides to the upper branches of the Sacred Tree where once upon a time the Fountain of Youth would've been. Now, he found plenty of worried fairies floating around, surprised by his appearance. It didn't take a genius to know that the little squirt would be deeper within the tree, out of sight and protected. The fairies parted before him, some even pointing the way, some thanking him for coming, but it was all background noise as Ban hunted.

It hadn't sat well with Ban that King had gone off alone to protect the one other bastion of Britannia. Yes, he'd gone with Diane and another giant, but Leonis had nearly fallen with three of the Sins and the best Holy Knights the kingdom had to offer. King had gone off with one other Sin that couldn't remember her time at all with the Seven Deadly Sins and said Sin's mentor to a land filled with weak fairies. Ban didn't have to be much a genius to know those odds, but he'd had little choice once the Ten Commandments launched their siege on Leonis. And now he'd come to learn that both Diane and King had suffered against those odds.

When he found King, he wished he hadn't.

Gerheade looked up, startled at his arrival, her hands still on where she was tending to her king. "B-Ban."

He shut his eyes and exhaled roughly. "What did he do to himself?"

King was laying amongst a thick bed of moss. Small shoots of yellow and pink flowers sprouted around his small body, pressing and winding firmly around the fairy king. His chest rose and fell fitfully, his breaths sounding wet and rough. His skin was covered in bandages and pale poultices, but what bare skin Ban could see was discolored red and black. Burned severely. Down to the bone in some places. His hands…Ban had always seen them as dainty and thin and now he could see just how tiny those bones were.

"Ban, can you…"

Ban swallowed and straightened, slinking over to where King's head was. "Yeah, I got this. Help me sit him up."

Gerheade nodded. "Right. Just please be gentle."

"I'm not going to hurt him," Ban mumbled as he took King's shoulders from her. The stiff bandages rubbed irritatingly against his skin as he slid his leg underneath those thin shoulders. King groaned brokenly as he was moved and Ban reflexively shushed him. "Just a second, King," he promised, cradling the back of his neck and leaning King's head against his shoulder. Most of his hair was gone, replaced by charred and cracked skin. "Shit, man. You're a determined little guy, aren't you? Hanging on like this." There was no response as Ban lifted his hand to his mouth and bit into the meat of his palm. Iron spilled over his tongue. It had worked last time, though King's wounds hadn't been anywhere near as severe as this. Ban lowered his bleeding palm to King's mouth, startling briefly when a pale hand appeared. Gerheade gently pried King's jaw open and helped hold him still as Ban tilted his hand.

Gerheade tried to keep calm as the first few drops of blood fell past her king's lips before nudging the hand away and trailing her fingers down the bruised and battered throat, coaxing King to swallow. She flinched when King coughed, but brightened when she felt him swallow after the brief hitch. The next few seconds were eternal to her even with as long lived as she is at that point. Listening and waiting for the change in ragged breathing, watching for any sign that it was working. There was even a moment where Gerheade doubted the powers of the Fountain of Youth Ban now carried with him.

But then came the warm swell of magic, seeping out of the fairy king's skin to glow a soft blue. A small hysterical laugh passed her lips as she watched the dark ruined skin glower brighter and brighter until it faded, leaving smooth healthy skin behind. Even his hair grew back, falling gently amidst the rest of the now clean strands since the blood and poultice had vanished with the injuries. Gerheade beamed as she took in the sight of her whole and hale leader and for once didn't blame herself for the tears that came to her eyes. Lord King was going to be okay. He was going to be okay!

Ban let out a silent breath as cheers went up from the few fairies that had followed him into the space. He watched as the pained expression smoothed away and left his friend looking far more at peace. King's eyes fluttered open slowly and Ban supposed this was the difference this time. Last time King had been able to wake up fully and move about, but now the fairy seemed barely conscious, exhausted.

The small Sin squirmed and visibly struggled to focus, his eyes flashing around and his fingers twitched. Chastiefol, the so far unnoticed spear, rustled and moved in synch with its master's fingers until Ban caught them and squeezed gently. "There's nothing to fight here, runt," he drawled and honey colored eyes flicked up to him. "You could fight me, but I really doubt you could fight your way out of a paper bag right now."

"Ban?"

The Fox Sin grinned widely. "That's my name. By the way, what's with this piss poor welcoming committee, huh? We came all this way to get you and this is what we get?"

King's lips tugged faintly into a smirk. "A welcome?" he repeated slowly, his eyes starting to droop again despite his wishes. "What makes you think y-you're welcome here?"

Ban chuckled, pleased with the bantering. Bantering was always good. "Well, since I decided this place is mine, of course I'd always be welcome."

"I…Idiot," King breathed, blinking hard before looking around again. "Diane? Is Diane okay?"

"Yup!" a cheerful voice answered, drawing King's and Ban's attention. Meliodas beamed from the entrance to the inner room. At his side, Merlin moved forward to approach. "Elizabeth is healing her right now even."

King frowned and blinked again before shifting uneasily. "Cap…tain? How?" The Grizzly Sin looked up jerkily to Ban before facing Meliodas again. "We watched you die. Not even you could… could…" Ban frowned as King trailed off, strangely out of breath and trembling.

"Take it easy," Merlin ordered as she joined Gerheade, who was now unwinding the unnecessary bandages. The mage rested her hand on King's forehead, nudging him to lean more into Ban's grip rather than try to support himself. "You've exhausted all of your magical reserves. You barely have enough to even survive."

"But he'll recover," Gerheade put in quickly, glancing up at the taller woman. "With rest here at the Sacred Tree, he'll fully recover."

The Boar Sin nodded in agreement and patted King's cheek. "You gave death your best shot. A good thing for you that it doesn't suit you." King grumbled quietly in response, turning away from her patronizing hand. "Just go with your sin and sleep for now, King. You need it."

Meliodas joined Merlin and smiled down at the fairy. "Rest up! The sooner you recover the quicker we can leave."

Gerheade tsked and Ban gave his captain a reproachful look, but King's thoughts moved elsewhere. "The forest," he mumbled. His eyes started slipping shut again. The thrumming of the Sacred Tree under and around him was alluring. A strong and safe presence, promising rest and respite. "The demons. I-I can't…"

"We'll keep an eye out." King focused blurrily on his captain. Vaguely, he felt the man press Chastiefol as a pillow—when had it changed?—to his side. "Don't worry one bit. We've got your back."

King hummed, clumsily wrapping his arms around Chastiefol as he was lowered to the soft cradle of moss. Distantly he heard familiar voices speak over him, he even recognized the barely-there whispers of the flowers tickling his skin. There were others here, others watching, protecting. His friends were here and they were always safe. Always. He sighed and relaxed into the arms of the Sacred Tree, surrounded by friends. Here, he could rest and heal.

King floated quietly through the trees of the forest. Behind him were the lights and sounds of a party in full swing, celebrating his return to health. Of course, none of the Sins had ever had fairy mead before and while Ban turned his nose up at the overly sweet brew the others had no problem with the alcohol as long as it kept coming.

It hadn't been hard to slip away. His lacking energy kept him at the sidelines of the party and made others irritatingly wary and careful around him. He was too delicate in their eyes right now to demand anything other than his presence and apparently even then they wished he was unconscious and asleep.

Annoying.

King yawned as he navigated through the darkened forest, absently greeting the quiet life around him with a brush of his magic. The flowers turned to follow his presence and the trees reached down to gently run their leaves along his back. He smiled at their welcome and peace. The forest was always a great companion to him.

When he reached his destination, he drifted on Chastiefol, taking everything in. The full moon illuminated the destruction of this part of the forest clearly and King was aware of it like a gouge in his side. The other fairies had already made efforts to restore and heal the forest, encouraging flowers and grass into the freshly turned soil and planting branches that other trees graciously spared for their efforts. It still looked raw and painful to him, but he could see that it was getting better.

His bare feet touched upon the grass and though he didn't have much to spare, King still drew his magic up from his core. The forest quivered excitedly as he raised his hand, leaping to follow his command. Plant life bloomed in his footsteps as he stepped into the devastation, pooling and spreading as he circled his fingers. It was like music to his ears, the forest humming with new life and achingly new voices joined the chorus as he gave them life.

At the end of it, his head ached and his muscles felt weak, but the beauty of the life around him soothed whatever pain was left over from this attack. King smiled and laughed, leaning down to greet the new shoots of grass and buds of flowers. "Hello and welcome," he murmured, allowing the eager plants to twist and twine around his fingers. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Fairy King Harlequin."

 _Fairykinghihelloking_

King smiled and was opening his mouth to speak again when another voice interrupted.

"It's been a long time since I've seen the forest welcome someone so wholly."

Ice shot through his heart as he whipped around, the flowers shrinking and hiding once more. Floating before him with an empty expression was a figure from the past. "G-Gloxinia!" Black eyes stared back at him, framed by blood red locks of hair. On the bare chest was the mark of the demon clan. Panic shot through King, his mental grip on Chastiefol tightening as he raised his hand. "Sacred—" The command release froze on his lips as he felt the sharp prick on his throat. Golden light washed over his face, Basquias glowing steadily before his eyes.

"Don't bother," Gloxinia ordered, the former fairy king's hand held out to command his spirit spear. "You don't even have the magic capable of releasing your spirit spear's true form. You were a fool to wander away from your friends like this."

King fought to keep perfectly still with death waiting to slit his throat. "What…" He cleared his throat and grimaced when he felt Basquias press harder as a result of the action. "What are you doing here?"

The former fairy tilted his head. "Isn't it obvious? I came for you." Then, to King's eternal surprise, Gloxinia lowered his hand, dispersing Basquias into nothing. "Peace, Harlequin. I'm not here to fight."

He lifted on hand to his neck, pressing a finger to the small cut. "Not here to…" King scowled, his other hand fisting at his side. "You were the one to let the demons into the Fairy King's Forest! How can you not be here to fight?!"

Gloxinia tsked and looked away. "I still have my place as a Commandment. Orders are orders. Nothing personal."

King's jaw dropped even as his body flushed with the heat of rage. "This is my _home_ ," he seethed. "It's personal."

Dark eyes narrowed as Chastiefol shifted at his side. "I told you not to bother. You're in no shape to fight me. I didn't come here looking for a fight, but if you start one, I'll finish it."

Sweat trickled down King's back. Shit, this wasn't good. He really was in no shape to fight and even if he was he stood no chance at beating the first fairy king. He needed to leave or call for help. If he had the magic energy he could attempt to fight and the resulting surge of power would surely catch everyone's attention, but seeing how he was still recovering… King swallowed roughly and lowered Chastiefol closer to the ground. He breathed deeply and evenly, fighting to keep steady. "If you're not here to fight me, then what do you want with me?"

Gloxinia smiled ever-so-slightly, his wings fluttering sedately in amusement. "I've come to help you."

King squinted his eyes, blinking hard through the spots swirling in his vision. "H-Help me?" Another deep breath, though this one was more of a gasp. "Why would you…Crap." King felt his balance tipping too late to hide it, stumbling on shaky limbs in an effort to remain standing. "No, no," he whispered, black sweeping over his vision for a brief second.

Hands clamped securely around his arm. "You fool of a king," Gloxinia muttered. King tried to galvanize his body to move away from the touch of the enemy, to stand up, but his traitorous body seemed to slowly fold in on itself. "Jeez, just take it easy, would you?"

The curses and swears that danced around in his head only ever made it out in a slurred jumble as he was eased to the ground, his body depleted of magic and energy for the moment.

Gloxinia chuckled from somewhere above him. "Your words are impossible, but your heart is clear. Those are some inventive curses, I must say."

Well, King guessed it was one good thing Ban had done for him. He'd have to elaborate on his vocabulary whenever the world stopped spinning. Until then, he breathed in the forest's rich soothing scent, forced to trust in the demon fairy's word on meaning no harm.

When his body eventually calmed enough that King didn't feel like he was going to pass out, he opened his eyes to see Gloxinia sitting nearby, playfully waving his fingers at some flowers that were wrapped around his arm. Dark eyes flicked to him before focusing once more on the plants.

"Back with me?"

King blinked slowly and watched as the flowers almost seemed to snap at the reaching fingers. In fact, now that he looked closely, wasn't that fairy's bane? "What are you doing?"

"Teasing," was the quick and easy answer. "I told you before, I hadn't seen the forest so attached to someone in a long time. These little guys are trying to protect you from the big, bad Commandment." Gloxinia snickered as the flowers seemed to vibrate and move agitatedly.

"Hey, hey, stop that." King reflexively pulled his arm and the flowers attached to him back and away from those hands. "Leave them alone."

Gloxinia's large wings flicked and shimmered in a show of glee that matched the wide smile on the first fairy king's face. "A mite bit protective, are you?"

Even if he tried, King couldn't keep the pout and sullen glare off his face as he tucked the poisonous flowers into the ground near his chest. Said flowers were now cuddling with the underside of his chin. "They're part of my forest and I protect my forest."

Gloxinia nodded, his smile dimming a bit. "Yeah, you do." Silence fell over the pair of fairy kings. Gloxinia turning his gaze and senses to the surrounding forest and King looking the Commandment over closely. The forest didn't seem to know what to make of the unlikely duo. They knew both clearly, though one was more of a distant memory and now reeked of unnatural energies. Still, he didn't feel dangerous or malicious.

"You said you wanted to help me," King spoke up after a few eternal minutes. Despite being in the presence of an enemy, he'd decided to remain laying down in the newly flourishing clearing. It didn't seem like a fight was going to break out between them in the near future, but it also didn't seem wise to waste precious energy. It made him feel almost unbearably vulnerable, but King stayed laying on his side as he peered at the sitting Commandment. "But we're enemies. I'll stop you from conquering Britannia and I know you'll destroy anything in your way. Why would you want to help me?"

The first fairy king sighed long and deep. "Because I need to know."

King frowned. "Need to know what?"

Dark eyes turned and found his. "If I made the right choice."

"What choice? The choice to come here?"

Gloxinia looked away and up at the sky. "Maybe. Maybe not. What I want is to give you a trial. It's your choice whether to do it or not. Succeed, and you'll come out of it stronger than ever. Fail, and you'll die." The fairy shrugged, his wings waving and curling, showing just how relaxed he was in that moment. "I won't force you."

King stared at the former fairy king for a long moment before slowly asking, "What's the trial?" This wasn't a trap, was it? A means to kill him or turn him against his friends like Gloxinia did for whatever reason.

"It's a learning experience," he answered vaguely. "For the both of us."

Before King could think of how to reply, there was a familiar giggle nearby. "Wow, Harlequin! Did you make this meadow? It's nothing like I…remem…" King's eyes widened as he quickly rolled over and saw Diane standing just at the bordering tree line. Even in the night, he could see her eyes flick between him and Gloxinia.

"D-Diane!" King shouted, stumbling to his feet and levitating clumsily. "You shouldn't…" His knees hit the ground as the world swam. He clutched his head with one hand and the ground with the other. Why was he so weak?!

"Harlequin! Get away from him, you bastard!" Diane roared and through his blurring vision King watched as she pulled Gideon off her back, leaping forward. She didn't even cover half the distance before a sudden rush of stone erupted from the ground and slammed into her. She crashed into the ground roughly, sending the forest into a riot of surprise and shock.

King gasped, finally finding his feet and balance. "Diane!"

She rolled to her feet and faced the direction the attack came from, balking when she saw who was stepping out from the cover of the tree. "Drole!"

The massive blue giant stood stoic and calm across the clearing and the fear that should've always been present in King surged back. This was an attack. Diane was in trouble!

"Take it easy." King flinched when the hand came to rest on his shoulder, whilring to stare at Gloxinia. "Drole won't kill her."

The current fairy king looked nervously at the pair of fighting giants, knowing without a doubt that Diane was out-classed. "He's…He's going to hurt her!"

"Only until she stops fighting," the other insisted, tightening his grip and catching Chastiefol before the spear could shoot forward. "If you had fought me I would've done the same. I'll heal her, don't worry. Drole has the same interests I do. He's going to offer her the same thing I did you."

King cringed and had to close his eyes against the barrage of punches Drole unleashed on his friend, but even the sounds had him quivering. "Th-The trial." Diane cried out in pain and it shattered every restraint King had. He had to protect Diane no matter what!

"Fifth Form, In—" King gagged as he was suddenly slammed into the ground, straining against the tight bands of Basquias' tenth form, Green Octo, wrapping around him and pinnin him.

"I told you to relax," Gloxinia gritted out, Basquias flexing its grip on his body in reflection of its user's emotions.

King grunted as he pulled and writhed in the hold of the spirit spear, tears spilling from his eyes as he heard Diane choke off a shout of pain. "Let me go! Diane!"

"No. Listen, Harlequin, you need to make a choice. I want to _help_ you and Drole wants to help the giant girl. Will you take the trial? Will you take the chance at getting stronger and protecting your people?"

King sobbed and tried to kick off the restraints. He wasn't strong enough. He was never strong enough! Not strong enough to protect the Fairy King's Forest 20 years ago, to save Elaine, or to protect Diane.

He needed to be stronger.

"Y-Yes," he finally answered as the sound of the giant's fighting faded to silence. King wearily closed his eyes and relaxed into the grip of Basquias. "I'll take the trial. Just…Just please heal Diane. Make him stop."

There was a moment of silence before Basquias began to withdraw, winding and condensing into the towering stalk of Moon Flower. "I was already going to do that," Gloxinia said and King called Chastiefol to him, curling his arms around his sacred treasure as healing light covered Diane's battered form. King watched as Drole crouched down by his friend and spoke quietly, easily stopping the punch the recovered girl immediately threw his way. "Are you sure you want to do this? There's a large chance you won't survive."

King carefully moved to sit on his heels, watching as Diane cautiously started speaking to her countryman. "You said you needed this," he eventually spoke. "That you needed to know if you made the right choice."

"I did."

King turned and looked at the first fairy king with steel in his eyes. "Well, I need this too. I need to get stronger."

Gloxinia crossed his legs as he floated, looking down at where his successor's successor lay curled on his spirit spear. It amused him a little bit to know that this fairy king carried around his gift from the Sacred Tree as a pillow of all things. He couldn't speak for Dahlia, his successor, but he liked to tuck his spirit spear into a pocket of magic or choose a form for it to rest in if he was bracing for a fight. He preferred Barquias' tenth form for its defensive and offensive qualities as well as its mobility.

It was good for moments just like now.

The segmented staff was halted in its tracks mere centimeters from his chest and his heart. Likewise, he heard the familiar sound of Heavy Metal sweeping over Drole's body.

Gloxinia didn't deign to look up from where he was watching Harlequin lay in a false sleep. In particular, his eyes kept drawing back to the bare expanse of the ruler's back. Harlequin was wearing traditional fairy clothing rather than that human-esque outfit Gloxina remembered from the fighting festival. This shirt was light green in color, long-sleeved with drooping cuffs and laces left undone just under the fairy's throat. The design of the back was what made it fairy: the back gone entirely with the exception of the strip of braided fibers crossing just behind Harlequin's neck and keeping the upper part of the shirt together. A rather nice design if Gloxinia could say. Maybe he would wear a shirt during this stay on the mortal plane. Still, from what he understood, Harlequin was well into his second millennia and still didn't have his wings even sprouted. Strange. Unheard of even. Was his aging truly that slow? Or perhaps his power was still growing and swelling and hadn't neared its peak even after 1,000 years?

Gloxinia hummed and cupped his chin as Basquias caught and blocked another attack. He chuckled as another thought occurred to him. It could be Harlequin had not quite matured emotionally to become the fairy king he was chosen to be. That fact was certainly true even if it might not be the cause of his lack of wings.

Meliodas appeared in his field of vision, startling Gloxinia badly. "Goddess above!" he swore, blanching as the demon snickered.

"Hey there, Gloxinia! Didn't expect to see you here," the blond menace greeted cheerfully.

Gloxinia gaped as he looked Meliodas up and down. "I never thought I'd see you alive again," he blurted before shaking his head roughly. "Though, I suppose, if any of us would have a trick to avoid going back to purgatory it would be you."

His former friend smiled at his teasing. "Who wants to go there anyway?"

The third time Basquias shielded him from attack he glared at the source. Red eyes glared back twice as hateful. "Would you stop that? If I die, then so does he." The first fairy king gestured at the third, who lay oblivious to everything while in the protection of his spirit spear.

The Fox Sin leapt back, his weapon of choice still at the ready. "Was that a threat?" he snarled, but Gloxinia's attention was drawn to the slight figure beside him.

"What? No," he answered absently as he rose a bit higher and squinted through the dark. "Is that…Gowther? Gowther of the Ten Commandments?" The pink head tilted to the side even as the Fox Sin looked alarmed. Gloxinia couldn't remember the Fox's name for the life of him. At least, not in the face of the familiar figure. "It is you! Drole, look!"

The giant leaned down curiously, humming as he examined the person in question. "It is. I have not seen you in quite some time, Gowther of Selflessness."

"HUH?!" the Fox exclaimed, stepping away from his comrade and closer to Meliodas and now Merlin.

Gowther looked between the pair evenly. "I'm sorry, I don't recognize you beyond our time at the fighting festival. Do you know me?"

Gloxinia and Drole shared a quick look before Drole answered. "Yes, we met very briefly 3,000 years ago. During the Commandments' attack on Stigma. Don't you recall?"

"No." Gloxinia sighed at the abrupt answer. "I am Gowther, the Goat Sin of Lust. Sparkle." To anyone who didn't know him, the sound Drole made would've been a growl, but Gloxinia had been with him long enough to recognize a snort of laughter at the ridiculous pose and speech delivered in monotone. "Though, I am aware I was once a Commandment," the man admitted.

"Gowther here lost his memories decades ago," Merlin explained, coming to the side of the pink haired man. "It's a long and complicated story, but Gowther no longer has ties to the demon clan." The Sin in question nodded in agreement even as Ban looked frantically between Merlin and Meliodas, noting their calm behavior.

"Am I the only one shocked by this?!" he demanded and Meliodas looked up at him in confusion.

"Well, I knew Gowther back in my time with the Commandments, though I didn't know he was a doll," he admitted.

Merlin tucked her hair behind her ear. "And I was trained by Gowther the magician, our Gowther's creator, before he became a Commandment. Upon meeting this one, I recognized the magical signature and asked a few questions." Gowther threw up two peace signs in the Fox's direction, causing the man's eyebrow to twitch before blowing out a gust of air, visibly uncoiling the tension in his body.

"Eh. Whatever. Good to have you on our side, Gowther."

"I shall do my best to help."

Red eyes moved back to Gloxinia and Drole, though now they lacked their imminent threat. There was still a promise of pain there, but it was stamped down for the moment. "With that out of the way, you wanna give us back our friends or die?"

Before either of the Commandments could answer, Merlin spoke up once more. "It would be better to wait." Yellow eyes looked curiously at where the giant—Diane, Harlequin had called her—lay and where Harlequin was tucked away out of sight. "That's the Time Regression Spell I'm sensing, isn't it?"

Drole sat back to get more comfortable. "Your reputation tells no lies, Merlin. Yes, it's the very same."

"Interesting." The woman turned back to her comrades. "It's a spell that allows the castor to send a soul into the past and into a host body. In this case, King and Diane were sent back to a point in Gloxinia's and Drole's history."

Meliodas quirked an eyebrow and looked to his former friends. "Wait, so you're trying to change the past?"

Gloxinia snorted and recalled Basquias. There was no threat currently, though he could feel numerous fairies slowly approaching. No doubt they followed the Seven Deadly Sins when they left upon feeling Diane and Drole fighting. "Hardly. If the soul in question veers too far from the path taken by the host, then forces of fate will kick the soul out and back to their own body. This is a trial, one they took on willingly." He looked back down at the fairy under his watch. "And it will be up to them if they return or not."

Meliodas came closer, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. "Is that so?" A smile crossed his face. "Old friends or not, if they don't come back, I'll destroy you both."

Drole chuckled. "You haven't changed at all."

"He's not the only one to not change," a softer voice spoke up and Gloxinia swore he felt a blade go through his heart. "Gloxinia." He turned slowly, both wanting and refusing to see the one who was speaking to him. Gerheade floated in front of him, her lone eye piercing him on the spot. "Brother."

King jolted back to reality with a scream, reaching forward to stop Gloxinia. He froze and panted for breath when open night sky only met his gaze. The presence of the Fairy King's Forest crashed over his senses, chattering and speaking all at once with too much information. But that hand, it was his own. He finished sitting up and ran that same hand through his hair, almost not believing how short it was. He was back in his own body?

"So that's the choice you made." King's head snapped to the side, finding Gloxinia to be where he'd last seen him.

"G-Gloxinia." He swallowed roughly. "What was that?"

Before the first fairy king could answer there was a resounding slap to King's exposed back that folded him over it was so strong. He yelped and instinctively tried to reach back to cover and touch the stinging spot on his back.

"Welcome back, King!"

King grimaced, slowly straightening. "Captain? What was that for?"

Blue eyes blinked slowly. "For? I was just welcoming you back."

"Though you were pretty stupid," came a familiar drawl and King finally began to look around, spotting all of the Sins—minus Escanor, though the moon was clearly in the sky at the moment so that made sense—in the clearing as well as a good number of his own fairies. Ban stooped over from his great height to sneer at him. "Trusting a Commandment like that? Come on, are you getting senile in your old age?"

Indignation swept through King. "T-Take that back! I'm not crazy or old!"

"Dumbass," Ban jabbed in a singsong tone.

King moved sharply into the air, practically steaming from his ears. "Take it back, Ban!" He wobbled in the air, his magic _still_ failing him at times, but he managed to land before it became too obvious. Sadly, that also took his height advantage away. He solved that by slamming Chastiefol as a pillow into his friend's head, attempting to smother the laughing man.

"Your Majesty." King turned and found Gerheade next to Gloxinia, the likeness between the two obvious now that he knew. "It's good to see you well," Gerheade said with her usual soft reserved smile. Something that was so at odds with the Gerheade he saw 3,000 years ago.

King scratched his cheek with his free hand, using the other in his attempt to murder Ban. "Thanks. Oh, Gloxinia, what was that? The moment before I woke up." The haunting image of Gerheade so gravely injured flashed brightly in his head, making his breath catch. His back twitched, the spot where Meliodas had hit him probably bruising.

The expression that crossed Gloxinia's face couldn't be called anything but remorse. "It's just like you saw. I lost control and killed Rou." Gerheade visibly flinched at the name and looked wildly between the pair of fairy kings, understanding beginning to dawn on her face. "However, killing Rou wasn't enough for me. Not when everything I once fought for failed to protect the world, to protect _my_ world." He looked sadly to Gerheade and King's heart ached from the sheer amount of grief and sadness he could feel between them. "Before I realized it, I was against my former allies, my own people. Before I knew it, I was a Commandment." Gloxinia swallowed roughly, his attention and his words obviously for his sister now rather than King. "And I…I did this all without even checking to see if my sister was alive. I was the worst brother." A tear slipped down his cheek, his voice cracking as he ducked his head. His red hair fell to shield his face.

"Brother, no," Gerheade murmured, reaching for Gloxinia's face. "No."

"Yes," the first fairy king refuted, his wings curling and folding down in discomfort and pain. Gerheade tilted his chin up, refusing to let him bow his head. "Yes, I was. I am. I'm still…"

"You're here," Gerheade stated simply, firmly and King found himself nodding in agreement. Against everything, Gloxinia was here and helping them. He was here and actually talking to his sister. "You're here now. That is all I can ask of my brother."

Gloxinia pursed his lips, disagreeing with her silently, but letting it go. His focus shifted instead to King. "Still, I have to know. Why didn't you kill Rou?"

"Oh," King murmured on reflex, Ban and Rou flashing in his memories. The parallels. He smiled weakly. "How could I? In the end, he wasn't evil. In my time since leaving the forest, I've learned that almost everyone I've come across is afflicted by their own circumstances." King's eyes slid to where Ban was frantically trying to pin Chastiefol to the ground, yelling at Captain to come help him. "That one, he was the lowest of lows, the worst scum of the planet. But he became the single most important person in my sister's life." He huffed when Chastiefol took Ban's legs out from under him before stiffening when he caught the second meaning to his words. He waved his hands, silently asking Gerheade to not take offense. "That's not to say that's what Rou meant to you, if he meant anything at all, Gerheade…"

The woman shrugged. "He was nothing more than a curious human, really. An ally until he became the enemy."

Gloxinia sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's that innocence, that belief in the good in the world and in people, that drew my attention to you, Harlequin. It's what made me wonder if you could've done better than me because despite your beliefs there is true evil in the world."

King nodded gravely before twitching. That spot where Captain had hit him really was hurting. "I know. That's why I took this risk. I needed to get stronger so I could protect the people I hold dear." His eyes trailed to where Diane was still unconscious, still under the spell. He twisted his arm behind him, trying to reach the burning spot on his back. Had Captain broken his skin or something?

For the first time since their conversation started, Gloxinia seemed to brighten, his wings finally unfolding and fluttering almost shyly. "And that's why you pass. You've proven to surpass me and I have no doubt you gained quite a bit of strength while doing so."

Hope flashed in King's chest. Was it possible that he had gotten stronger? He had gotten a glimpse of how to better wield Chastiefol through the experience of wielding Basquias, but that was while in Gloxinia's body. Still, knowledge was knowledge and he could give it a go. Strange thing was that he didn't feel a difference in his strength. He still felt drained to his bones of energy and magic, unnervingly raw in a sense. Was it possible there was nothing different? That he'd done something wrong? His body felt the same…

Sharp pain stung his back, right between his shoulders. King gasped, stumbling a step as his back instinctively arched. He bit his tongue when the pain didn't let up. "W-What's…" The pain heightened, feeling as if there was a muscle in his back that he'd pulled and it was cramping.

"Lord King?!"

"Whoa, King, what's up?"

King sank to one knee, trying to reach over his shoulder to the spot. He bit his lip as he looked up at Meliodas. "What did you do to my back? Break i—" King had to snap his teeth closed to smother the keen that tried to escape. "Ow, ow, ow, it hurts, it _hurts_ " he whined, barely aware of the hands bracing his shoulders.

"Me? I didn't do anything, it didn't even bruise. Wait, what's that? What's wrong with his back?"

The second a hand brushed that spot on his back his body bowed and shuddered as he shouted, the tightness in his body ratcheting up. He squeezed his eyes shut as he forced his way down to the ground, rolling over to lay on his back. Anything touching his back burned like fire, but the solidness and pressure acted like the stopgap he had blindly been hoping for.

"What's wrong with him?!"

"Your Majesty!"

"What the fuck did you do, you demon bastard?!"

"This wasn't me, this wasn't us. It's something else."

"Merlin, can you—"

"This is no spell work or curse."

"Then what is it?"

King forced himself to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth, stopping every few breaths to gasp for the air he wasn't getting enough off. His hands pressed tightly over his eyes, smothering the tears welling up there. Demon King damn it, his back was _killing him_. It was like every cramp he'd ever had all combined into one single point and even after a few good long moments it wasn't abating. Though his body was getting used to the pain, he could feel his body and muscles quivering.

"King?"

He sniffled before clearing his throat, but still his voice cracked as he answered, "Yeah?"

"We need to look at your back." Now that he was listening, he could tell it was Merlin speaking. "Has the pain stopped?"

"No." No and please, please, _please_ don't make him move. He was okay like this, he was fine. He could stay right here for the rest of his life just fine.

"Can you roll over?" the mage asked patiently, though he could now feel her chilled hands resting on his waist. He couldn't tell if it was preparation to force him to move or meant to help calm him.

King hesitated, shuffling his feet where he'd planted them near his rear. Couldn't they leave him be? He'd just become a part of the forest, that wasn't so bad.

A sharp finger jabbed at his side, making him flinch and whine when his back seized up before he pushed his shoulders more firmly into the ground. "Come on, you big blubbering baby," Ban goaded. "You're wasting our time here for a little cut." King stiffened when he felt Ban's hands press against his side. "Just roll—"

His hands moved away from his eyes, giving him a brief glance of Ban's gleeful smirk. "No!" he cried.

"—over!"

A jagged scream of pain ripped from his throat as the movement and sudden lack of support pulled and pulled and _pulled_ at his back. He clawed at the grass and ground, choking when it felt like his spine was going to snap the pain was so bad.

"Bad Ban!"

"I-I didn't know!"

"Shut up and hold him down! King! King, listen!"

"What the fuck is that?"

"By the Sacred Tree…this is happening too fast. Lady Merlin, can you slow this down? Stop it?!"

King writhed and sobbed, "Make it stop, make it stop!"

"Shit, the trees! Aw _fuck_ , Chasti—"

There was sudden pressure over the burning hot poker of agony and while the abrupt touch and strength seemed to add to the pain if that was at all possible, the sudden clamping pressure forced his back down and still, forcing the muscle cramp to stop spasming and to stretch back to more comfortable lengths. King breathed shakily as he slowly relaxed under the firm hands not only on his back but on his arms and legs. "T-Thank you," he breathed and there was a hum right above him.

"It appears I have stopped your pain for the moment," Gowther replied. "If I am actually helping, rather than hurting you, then you are welcome."

King felt a small laugh bubble up, though it came out more as a wheeze due to the lingering, waiting pain and the strength Gowther was using to push down on him. "You're helping," he assured the Goat Sin. Some of the hands pinning him down withdrew and King was happy to lay there with his eyes closed, soaking up the strained peace of his body not ripping itself to pieces.

Cool familiar hands smoothed over the side of his face that wasn't resting on the ground. He knew Gerheade's presence well. "How did you know that would work?" his advisor asked calmly, though he could feel the slight tremor in her hands.

Gowther answered, "It was obvious once I realized why laying on his back gave him relief. He was physically stopping the growths from sprouting. Or at least slowing them down."

"Grow-Growths?" King repeated in alarm, snapping his eyes open as he peered back and up to where Gowther was straddling the small of his back. "What growths? It's not a cramp?"

The Goat Sin cocked his head to the side and his fingers wiggled over the burning spot of pain, making King hiss. "You have two gray masses surfacing between your shoulders. I am containing them for the moment as you were doing before."

The words refused to make sense in his head. There was _something_ growing out of his back?

Gloxinia chuckled, a new and unfamiliar sound, and leaned down into his view. "It looks like you're getting your wings, Harlequin."

His mind nearly blanked out. "M-My…what?"

There was the sound of someone sitting down heavily, drawing his gaze. Ban pulled several of Chastiefol's smaller kunai knives from Increase out of his flesh, heedless of the blood and pain that resulted. "Wait, old man's wings are finally coming in? Why the fuck is his screaming his head off then? I thought this was normal."

"When did I…" King swallowed around the lump in his throat, "attack?"

Ban looked confused for a moment before looking down at the pile of blades he was making. "Oh, yeah. You started lashing out. Your damn pillow turned me into a pincushion and your magical forest started coming for us."

The forest? Carefully, he lifted his head so he could look to his lift and his breath caught when he saw the trees that once surrounded the clearing had actually moved, storming closer and leaving deep tracks where their roots had pulled them through. Their branches loomed and creaked menacingly, halted by Merlin's barrier spell.

"Like I said before," Gloxinia hummed, "I've never seen the forest so attached to anyone."

"The reason he's in pain, Sir Ban," Gerheade started, "is because His Majesty's wings are budding and growing so quickly. This is a process that normally happens over years, not a few minutes." Oh. That made sense. The growths, they were his wing buds. For his wings.

Oh.

 _His wings were growing in_.

King turned his head into the ground, burying his face in the grass. He'd waited years for this moment and he got what he wanted. It's just that he got it all at once. "That also means there's no fix for this. No stopping it." She fingers combed through his sweaty hair. "Do you understand, Lord King?"

King nodded. He had to let the torment go on until it finished. "Yeah, I do."

There was a sudden shout across the clearing. "Hyup!" Even from his spot on the ground and his vision mostly obscured by his friends, he could see the top of Diane's head. For a single moment, he felt self-hatred that he'd forgotten she was still in her trial, still at risk of dying, but it was washed away by relief and then further exhaustion. It had been a very long day. "Hey, what's going on?"

King looked once more to Gowther. "Don't let me roll onto my back, okay?" he requested hoarsely, trepidation and fear closing in quickly. He had to do this before he lost his nerve.

Gowther blinked and nodded. "Understood." Then he lifted his hands.

Prepared for it this time, King ground his teeth and dug in to weather out the pain. It felt a bit slower to start this time as if it had to recover from how much force Gowther had used, but it inevitably tightened and pulled taunt until the point of tearing flesh. He tried to breathe through it all, his fingers pressed and dragged through the grass, trying to express something, but when he found the innocent blades of life in his grasp he released his fists with a whimper and struggled to keep his hands still. His attention also went to his magic, very firmly commanding Chastiefol to remain inert and blasting the order to the forest to stay back. And vaguely he could sense its reluctant obedience, the forest swaying and groaning in discontent.

He wheezed for air, his body too hot and too small as he tried to rise up onto his elbows when something pulled them back out. There was a sharp white-hot pain that seared down his back and he keened, squeezing as hard as he could on the hands suddenly in his.

Goddesses above it hurt _so bad_ he could barely think.

"Breathe, Harlequin. Breathe."

Air rushed into his lung, as much as he could handle, before turning and sinking his teeth into his bicep, screaming into the makeshift gag. The small pain barely even registered. He sobbed as a second line of white-hot flames coursed over his back, sucking in air frantically when the agony seemed to plateau. He managed to trap a soft keen behind his tongue before the eternal tightness taunting him in suspense of relief or more pain dragged the sound out into the air.

Only then did the tension and pain seemingly start to abate. King's heart beat throbbed in his ears as he was slowly and achingly allowed to finally relax. He put in his best effort to even out his breathing as he unlocked his jaw and released the bite on his arm. The time it took for the cramp and pain to stop in his back was still too long for his preference, but it was leaving and going away, finally letting him breathe and exist.

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until there was a hand insistently shaking his shoulder. "Harlequin, hey. Wake up."

King groaned softly, peeling open sticky and aching eyes. "Wha."

Dark eyes appeared before him. "There you are. Welcome back to the land of the living. You scared us for a second."

"Scared," King mumbled, latching onto a single word as his eyes drifted shut again.

"He's had enough, brother. Let him get the sleep he should've been getting in the first place."

"Hmph. I won't apologize. I knew I wouldn't get another chance with him alone."

"Let's get him back to the Boar Hat. Elizabeth can take a look and make sure everything is okay."

"He needs the Sacred Tree. The closer he is to it, the faster he'll recover."

King mewled breathily as magic swept over his body, lifting him from his resting spot. His heart leapt momentarily in fear before he felt the familiar cool softness of Chastiefol pressing against his front. He shivered as his body melted over his sacred treasure, relishing in its comfort.

"King?" Something large carefully touched his lower back as he let sleep slip up and cradle him like a mother recovering her missing child. Tightly. Desperately. "Are you…Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

The oblivion of rest swept him under, refusing to let go.

Later, King would only remember a few things.

The bolt of pain and just _toomuch_ stabbing into his back and spine and "Don't touch them!".

A gentle rocking and sense of movement and the babbling murmur of life, forest, and people washing over him.

The most peaceful and beautiful warmth brushing over his body and reaching down to his very soul. A kind blue eye smiling at him, "Hello, Sir King. You're not in pain, are you?"

His stomach dropping as he went up and up and up, dredging enough energy to peel his eyes open to see his forest at night before an iridescent butterfly wing passed in front of him.

The Sacred Tree singing a welcome and lullaby as he felt magic lower him down to onto familiar moss and flowers. Flowers whispered and kissed his face and neck, murmuring nonsense as the Sacred Tree itself seemed to tuck around him, obscuring everything with its ancient presence.

It felt like a long time before he felt any real return to awareness. Something that wasn't wispy and fleeting like a dream. His body was stiff but warm as he went to shift into a more comfortable position, a soft groan vibrating in his throat as he did so. Vaguely, he felt a hand squeeze his own and a voice buzz at his ears as he fell back into the arms of slumber.

The next time he woke up, it actually felt like he was waking up, not fading in and out, mixing reality and dream. King blinked slowly and took his time to just lay there, breathing deeply and easily. When was the last time he'd felt this rested?

He smiled when silky petals brushed under his eye. _Hellolovekinghi_ , the tiny Sunflower whispered and King drew his hand up from where it had been curled just in front of his mouth. His muscles shook a little from disuse and stiffness, but the little plant still swayed happily when he pets it.

"Hello," he whispered back, not at all surprised when the plant lifted its roots from the moss and instead moved entirely to twine around his pointer finger. "Comfortable?" he teased even as he started to stretch, luxuriating in his body coming to life. The small movements made it very clear that he'd been still for too long. The plants in the upper cradle of the Sacred Tree—he would always recognize this space, it was one of his favorite places to relax in and a major seat of his power in the Fairy King's Forest—had taken advantage of his stillness and had made themselves comfortable, either completely moved onto some part of his body like the flower on his hand or wrapped around him while still connected to the ground. It seemed even the Sacred Tree had felt the need to get closer. There were shoots of new branches sprouting around him with plentiful pink petals sprouting. It was a beautiful sight, his forest.

The glance around also revealed that he wasn't alone. Curled on her side nearby and shrunken down was Diane, fast asleep on Chastiefol no less.

Patiently—always patient with the plants of the forest—he coaxed his release out of the plants, caving in to the desires of the more stubborn plants to stay with him, though he did convince them to move away from areas where they may be hurt, like the insides of his legs and arms. Most chose to crowd around his torso and back, the colorful happy array drawing his attention to the spot that had caused him so much grief the last time he'd been awake.

His wings.

They were small and new, flapping slowly. An excited smile tugged at his lips and he was thrilled to see his wings react to his mood, fluttering and shivering at a faster pace. He finally had his wings! He'd finally sprouted! Yes, it hurt like nothing other last night, his wings growing about five to six years' worth of time in the span of a few minutes, but he'd almost given up hope on them ever coming. Already he was supposed to be an old fairy, but his magic and energy remained that of a new fairy. Very rarely did a fairy live past 1,500 years old, there only being a handful of fairies in history who could claim such a thing. Gerheade was one such being, so it was assumed by most that King was of the same nature. Still, Gerheade had admitted to getting her wings when she was 300 years old, making King even more of an outlier with his sister.

Taking all that into account, years of worrying and fretting, it all seemed pointless in the face of his wings finally growing.

"Hmm?" King looked away from his wings to see Diane stirring from her rest. His friend yawned and rubbed her eyes, blinking blearily at him. "King?" Awareness returned in a flash to those purple eyes and King smiled widely, his heart starting to race. "King, you're awake!"

"Hi, Diane," he greeted in return, pleased and a bit embarrassed at how ecstatic she was upon seeing him up. "Um. I'm sorry if I made you worry. I don't know how long I was asleep, but it feels like I needed it." He laughed quietly and rubbed the back of his neck as Diane puffed out her cheeks.

"Well, of course you did, dummy! It's what me and everyone else has been telling you for weeks to do. Especially after that fight." The shrunken giant huffed and sat on her heels, her arms crossed under her ample chest. "Instead you kept pushing and pushing and scaring all of us."

King sobered and looked down at his folded hand and at the flowers that made their home there. "R-Right. I…I really shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

Diane sighed gustily. "Yeah, it's okay. I'm glad you're doing better." King glanced up through his flashes to see her give him a smile, a wonderful gift in his books. "And I know everyone else will be happy too. You _are_ feeling better, right? Please don't push yourself…" she muttered, trailing off.

King waved his hands quickly, levitating into the air to easily get out of the fragile bed of moss and plants he'd slept in. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I feel better than I have in a while, I swear." He came to sit on Chastiefol, gently touching his friend's shoulder. "What about you? I know you woke up from Drole's trial, obviously, but are you okay too? I saw some things while there."

"Oh, yeah, I'm great! The choice I had to make was either do what Drole did and join the commandments or be killed." King's eyes widened at the decision, his mouth dropping open at the impossibility of it. Diane just smiled. "I chose to run away!"

A breath of relief left him in a rush. "I'm so glad," he murmured in a slight daze, horrified at the thought that Diane might've actually died or lived out the rest of Drole's life as he had.

"And you?" King lifted his head again at the question. Diane leaned to the side and peered over his shoulder. "Is your back bothering you?"

He brightened and turned to show her. "No, not at all! Look, my wings came in!"

Diane squealed and he looked over his shoulder to see her grab her pigtails, pulling them to just in front of her mouth as she bounced in place. "They're so cute, King! And your flowers are very cute too." She leaned in and carefully touched a few of the said flowers circling his small wings. "Yes, you're very cute," she cooed to the plants, making King blush bright.

At least until something she said stood out to him.

"W-Wait. What did you just call me?" He turned as his friend straightened and looked at him curiously. "What did you call me?" he repeated more urgently, his heart racing as he ran the moment over and over in his head.

Diane frowned. "I called you King," she answered and understanding dawned just as it felt like a albion hit him. The girl giggled, hiding behind her hair again. "It's what I've always called you, after all."

King blinked quickly, trying to keep the reflexive tears back even as he reached out hesitantly. "Y-You remember m—" The rest of his sentence was cut off when soft lips pressed over his, cutting off every single sound he'd been about to make, every single thought in his head, and even the voice of the forest for a moment. He may have forgotten to breathe, staring when Diane pulled back and smiled that sweet and endearing smile of hers.

His heart was drumming in his ears almost too loud for him to hear her. "I'll love you and be by your side always and always, right, King?"

For so many centuries he's wanted to hear those words, to see her look at him as she said them, to have her return the feelings he's always had burning in his heart. And now that those words had passed those lips…he couldn't be happier.

King beamed, reaching up one hand to stop a tear before it could escape. "Yes," he laughed and the love and joy in her eyes was more than he could ever dream of. "Always."

 _Thank you for reading!_


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